Andrew Ragas splits time between the Chicago area and Wisconsin's Northwoods. Based in Minocqua, WI, he specializes in trophy bass fishing and offers guided trips from May thru October. While big bass is the passion, he dabbles in multi-species as well. He may be visited online at www.northwoodsbass.com
Wednesday, 13 October 2021 / Published in Fishing Reports

Northwoods Bass Fishing Report, September thru mid October, 2021

We’ve recently concluded one of the longest Indian Summers in history. As a result, September fishing was a hit or a miss. October has actually been far better in comparison. Lately, we’ve been experiencing 1 hot window per day and the rest is history.
Tuesday, 17 August 2021 / Published in Fishing Reports

Northwoods Bass Fishing Report – August 2021

Summer season has come and gone. For me personally, it was a blur, and one NOT to remember.
Thursday, 08 July 2021 / Published in Fishing Reports

Northwoods Bass Fishing Report, June and July, 2021

Our smallmouth fishing has been a tossed salad since mid May. One day will be a 40 fish day, followed by totals of 15, 10, or 6 the next three. That’s fishing! Observing smallmouth bass behavior and how a fishery and individual specimens react positively and negatively to daily conditions is enlightening and educational. One
Sunday, 06 June 2021 / Published in Fishing Reports

Northwoods Bass Fishing Report – May and early June 2021

Having seen weather doing it all since 2020, I am certain the perfect fishing day no longer exists. Some trip days, we get highs in the 40’s that gives us a non-existent pre-spawn. The next day, temps could increase by 40 to 50 degrees as they did frequently in May, and on these disastrous heat
Thursday, 06 May 2021 / Published in Fishing Reports

Northwoods Bass Fishing Report – Early May, 2021

Pics overload from opener weekend. Had a good time with family knocking out the other species first. Once bass trips start next week on Monday midday, it’ll be SMB’s for my boat and guests every day.
Monday, 12 April 2021 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

River Smallmouth and Timing Spring Migrations

  By Andrew Ragas Much has been studied, discussed, and written about in recent years about fall season river migrations when smallmouth travel downstream to their overwintering sites. On your river, smallmouth could be year-round residents. On my specific rivers in Wisconsin, most of their smallmouth populations are non-resident. Through personal experience and data to
Thursday, 01 April 2021 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

Revisiting The Hot Head

By Andrew Ragas Smallmouth bass are notorious for their peculiarity and curiosities. Oftentimes, they’ll sneak up on baits merely to check them out. With similar frequency, they will completely ignore everything altogether until you decipher what’ll get their attention. While other times, they will crush almost anything in sight. Anglers who are passionate about smallmouth
Friday, 26 February 2021 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Gear Reviews

Ten Rods For Ten Bass Jobs

  By Andrew Ragas Fishing as we know it is a technical sport. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it is for anglers who are most passionately dedicated. Serious anglers will keep as many rods as they can fit into the boat, while casual anglers would rather keep a more modest number of